Academic Phrase Bank

Compiled from http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk.

By QUỐC TRUNG

Lecturer – Division of English II

Faculty of English Language Teacher Education

University of Languages and International Studies

Vietnam National University, Hanoi

FOR INTERNAL USE ONLY

HANOI – SEPTEMBER 2013

The compiler would like to express his most sincere thanks to Dr. DƯƠNG THU MAI

(Head of Division of English II) for sharing this link. Without her kindness, this compiled

book would not be real.

ACADEMIC PHRASE BANK

http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

ACADEMIC PHRASE BANK – Compiled by Quoc Trung (TA2)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................................. 2

CHAPTER 1: WRITING INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER 2: REFERING TO LITERATURE ................................................................................ 8

CHAPTER 3: BEING CRITICAL .................................................................................................. 16

CHAPTER 4: DESCRIBING METHODS ..................................................................................... 21

CHAPTER 5: REPORTING RESULTS ......................................................................................... 27

CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION .......................................................................................................... 32

CHAPTER 7: WRITING CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................. 38

CHAPTER 8: WRITING DEFINITIONS...................................................................................... 43

CHAPTER 9: GIVING EXAMPLES ............................................................................................. 47

CHAPTER 10: CLASSIFYING AND LISTING ........................................................................... 49

CHAPTER 11: DESCRIBING CAUSES AND EFFECTS ............................................................ 52

CHAPTER 12: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING ............................................................... 55

CHAPTER 13: WRITING ABOUT THE PAST............................................................................ 58

CHAPTER 14: DESCRIBING TRENDS AND PROJECTIONS .................................................. 61

CHAPTER 15: TRANSITION STATEMENTS ............................................................................ 64


3

WRITING INTRODUCTION

There are many ways to introduce an academic essay or assignment. Most academic writers,

however, appear to do one or more of the following in their introductions:

• establish the context, background and/or importance of the topic

• indicate a problem, controversy or a gap in the field of study

• define the topic or key terms

• state of the purpose of the essay/writing

• provide an overview of the coverage and/or structure of the writing

Examples of phrases which are commonly employed to realise these functions are listed

below. Note that there may be a certain amount of overlap between some of the categories

under which the phrases are listed.

Introductory sections for research dissertations, are normally much more complex than this

and, as well as the elements above, may include the following: a synopsis of key

literature/current state of knowledge, synopsis of methods, lists of research questions or

hypotheses to be tested, significance of the study, recognition of the limitations of the study,

reasons for personal interest in the topic.

1.1 Establishing the importance of the topic

One of the most significant current discussions in legal and moral philosophy is ....

It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the ....

X is the leading cause of death in western industrialised countries.

X is a common disorder characterised by ....

CHAPTER


4

X plays an important role in the maintenance of ....

X is an important component in the climate system, and plays a key role in Y.

In the new global economy, X has become a central issue for ....

In the history of development economics, X has been thought of as a key factor in ....

Xs are one of the most widely used groups of antibacterial agents and ....

Xs are the most potent anti-inflammatory agents known.

X is a major public health problem, and the cause of about 4% of the global burden of

disease.

X is an increasingly important area in applied linguistics.

Central to the entire discipline of X is the concept of ....

X is at the heart of our understanding of ....

A key aspect of X is ....

1.2 Establishing the importance of the topic (time frame given):

Recent developments in X have heightened the need for ....

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in ....

Recent developments in the field of X have led to a renewed interest in ....

Recently, researchers have shown an increased interest in ......

The past decade has seen the rapid development of X in many ....

The past thirty years have seen increasingly rapid advances in the field of ....

Over the past century there has been a dramatic increase in ....

One of the most important events of the 1970s was ....

Traditionally, Xs have subscribed to the belief that ....

X proved an important literary genre in the early Y community.

The changes experienced by Xs over the past decade remain unprecedented.

Xs are one of the most widely used groups of antibacterial agents and have been extensively

used for decades to ....


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1.3 Highlighting a problem in the field of study

However, these rapid changes are having a serious effect ....

However, a major problem with this kind of application is ....

Lack of X has existed as a health problem for many years.

Despite its safety and efficacy, X suffers from several major drawbacks:

However, research has consistently shown that first year students have not attained an

adequate understanding of ...

There is increasing concern that some Xs are being disadvantaged ....

Despite its long clinical success, X has a number of problems in use.

Questions have been raised about the safety of prolonged use of ....

1.4 Highlighting a controversy in the field of study

To date there has been little agreement on what ....

More recently, literature has emerged that offers contradictory findings about ....

One observer has already drawn attention to the paradox in ....

In many Xs a debate is taking place between Ys and Zs concerning ....

The controversy about scientific evidence for X has raged unabated for over a century.

Debate continues about the best strategies for the management of ....

This concept has recently been challenged by .... studies demonstrating ….

One of the most significant current discussions in legal and moral philosophy is ....

One observer has already drawn attention to the paradox in ....

In many Xs a debate is taking place between Ys and Zs concerning ....

The controversy about scientific evidence for X has raged unabated for over a century.

Questions have been raised about the safety of prolonged use of ....

The issue of X has been a controversial and much disputed subject within the field of ....

The issue has grown in importance in light of recent ....

One major theoretical issue that has dominated the field for many years concerns ....

One major issue in early X research concerned ....


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1.5 Highlighting a knowledge gap in the field of study (for research)

So far, however, there has been little discussion about ....

However, far too little attention has been paid to ....

Most studies in X have only been carried out in a small number of areas.

The research to date has tended to focus on X rather than Y.

In addition, no research has been found that surveyed ....

So far this method has only been applied to ....

Several studies have produced estimates of X (Smith, 2002; Jones, 2003), but there is still

insufficient data for ....

However, there have been no controlled studies which compare differences in ....

The experimental data are rather controversial, and there is no general agreement about ....

However, there is no reliable evidence that ....

X's analysis does not take account of .... nor does he examine ....

1.6 Focus, aim, argument

This paper will focus on/examine/give an account of ....

This essay seeks to remedy these problems by analysing the literature of ....

The objectives of this research are to determine whether ....

This paper seeks to address the following questions:

This essay critically examines/discusses/traces ....

The purpose of this paper is to review recent research into the ....

This paper will review the research conducted on ....

This chapter reviews the literature concerning the usefulness of using ....

The aim of this paper is to determine/examine ....

The aim of this study was to evaluate and validate ....

In this paper I argue that ....

In the pages that follow, it will be argued that ....

This paper attempts to show that ....

In this essay, I attempt to defend the view that ....


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1.7 Outline of structure

The main questions/issues addressed in this paper are: a), b and c).

This paper has been divided into four parts. The first part deals with ....

The essay has been organised in the following way.

This paper first gives a brief overview of the recent history of X.

This paper reviews the evidence for ....

This paper begins by ...... It will then go on to ....

The first section of this paper will examine .....

Finally, .....

Chapter 2 begins by laying out the theoretical dimensions of the research, and looks at

how ....

Chapter 3 describes the design, synthesis, characterization and evaluation of ....

The last chapter assesses the ....

1.8 Explaining Keywords

While a variety of definitions of the term X have been suggested, this paper will use the

definition first suggested by Smith (1968) who saw it as ....

Throughout this paper the term X will refer to/will be used to refer to ....

In this article the acronym/abbreviation XYZ will be used.


8

REFERING TO LITERATURE

One important characteristic of academic writing is that all the sources of information that

the writer has used need to be indicated, not just as a bibliography or list of references, but

also in or alongside the text. In some cases the source will be the main subject of the

sentence, in others the sources may be mentioned parenthetically (in brackets) or via a

notation system (e.g. footnotes). The more common verbs and verb phrases used in

academic writing for referring to sources are given below. Note that different referencing

systems are used in different disciplines. In the examples, the Harvard in-text referencing

system has been used. Also note that the "author as subject" style is less common in the

sciences.

"Ideally, your review should be evaluative and critical of the studies which have a particular

bearing on your own. For example, you may think a particular study did not investigate

some necessary aspect of the area, or that the authors failed to notice some problem with

their results."

Taken from the Manchester Good Practice Guide:

http://www.man.ac.uk/goodpractice/

2.1 General descriptions of the relevant literature

A considerable amount of literature has been published on X. These studies ....

There is a large volume of published studies describing the role of ....

The first serious discussions and analyses of X emerged during the 1970s with ....

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The generalisability of much published research on this issue is problematic.

What we know about X is largely based upon empirical studies that investigate how ....

During the past 30 years much more information has become available on ....

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of literature on ....

A large and growing body of literature has investigated ....

2.2 General reference to previous research/scholarly activity (usually more

than one author)

Many historians have argued that .... (e.g. Jones, 1987; Johnson, 1990; Smith, 1994).

There is a consensus among social scientists that ....(e.g. Jones, 1987; Johnson, 1990; Smith,

1994).

Numerous studies have attempted to explain .... (for example, Smith , 1996; Kelly, 1998;

Johnson, 2002)

Recent evidence suggests that .... (Smith, 1996; Jones 1999; Johnson, 2001)

Recently, in vitro studies have shown that T.thermophylus EFTu can .... (Patel et al., 1997;

Jones et al., 1998).

Surveys such as that conducted by Smith (1988) have shown that ....

Several attempts have been made to .... (Smith, 1996; Jones 1999; Johnson, 2001)

Several studies have revealed that it is not just X that acts on ..... (Smith, 1996; Jones ....

Several biographies of Harris have been published. Smith presents an .... account, whilst

Jones ....

Several studies investigating X have been carried out on ....

Data from several sources have identified the increased morbidity and mortality associated

with obesity

Previous studies have reported .... (Smith, 1985; Jones, 1987; Johnson, 1992).

Previous research findings into X have been inconsistent and contradictory (Smith, 1996;

Jones 1999, ....

A number of studies have found that .... (Smith , 2003; Jones, 2004).


10

Twenty cohort study analyses have examined the relationship between ....

At least 152 case-control studies worldwide have examined the relationship between.....

Other studies have considered the relationship ....

The relationship between X and Y has been widely investigated (Smith, 1985; Jones, 1987, ....

The causes of X have been widely investigated (Jones, 1987; Johnson, 1990; Smith, 1994).

The geology of X has been addressed in several small-scale investigations and .....

Xs have been identified as major contributing factors for the decline of many species (1).

X has also been shown to reverse the anti-inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids in murine-

induced arthritis (11).

It has been suggested that levels of X are independent of the size of the Y (Smith et al., 1995)

It has conclusively been shown that X and Y increase Z (Smith et al., 1999; Jones, 2001 ....

It has been demonstrated that a high intake of X results in damage to .... (Smith, 1998; ....

2.3 Reference to current state of knowledge

A relationship exists between an individual's working memory and their ability to ......

(Jones et al.,1998).

GM varieties of maize are able to cross-pollinate with non-GM varieties (Smith, 1998; Jones,

1999).

There is an unambiguous relationship between spending on education and economic

development (Rao, 1998).

X is one of the most intense reactions following CHD (Lane, 2003).

MIF has been found to oppose the anti-inflammatory actions of X on Y (Alourfi, 2004).

2.4 Reference to single investigations in the past: researcher(s) as sentence

subject

Smith (1999)

found that as levels of literacy and education of the population rise ....

showed that reducing X to 190oC decreased .... (see figure 2) .

demonstrated that when the maximum temperature is exceeded ....


11

Jones et al. (2001)

investigated the differential impact of formal and non-formal education

on ....

analysed the data from 72 countries and concluded that ....

reviewed the literature from the period and found little evidence for this

claim.

interviewed 250 undergraduate students using semi-structured

questionnaires.

studied the effects of Cytochrome P450 on unprotected nerve cells.

performed a similar series of experiments in the 1960s to show that ....

carried out a number of investigations into the ....

conducted a series of trials in which he mixed X with different quantities

of ....

measured both components of the ....

labelled these subsets as ....

examined the flow of international students ....

identified parents of disabled children as ....

used a survey to assess the various ....

Wang et al. (2004) have recently developed a methodology for the selective introduction of ......

2.5 Reference to single investigations or publications in the past: time frame

prominent

In 1975, Smith et al. published a paper in which they described ....

In 1990 Patel et al. demonstrated that replacement of H2O with heavy water led to ....

Thirty years later, Smith (1974) reported three cases of Candida Albicans which ....

In the 1950s Gunnar Myrdal pointed to some of the ways in which …. (Myrdal, 1957)

In 1981, Smith and co workers demonstrated that X induced in vitro resistance to ....

In 1990, El-Guerrouj et al. reported a new and convenient synthetic procedure to obtain ....

In 1984 Jones et al. made several amino acid esters of X and evaluated them as water-soluble

pro-drugs.


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2.6 Reference to single publication: no time frame

Smith has written the most complete synthesis to date of ....

2.7 Reference to single investigations in the past: investigation prominent

Preliminary work on X was undertaken by Abdul Karim (1992).

The first systematic study of X was reported by Patel et al. in 1986.

The study of the structural behaviour of X was first carried out by Rao et al. (1986).....

Analysis of the genes involved in X was first carried out by Smith et al (1983).

A recent study by Smith and Jones (2012) involved ....

A longitudinal study of X by Smith (2012) reports that ....

A small scale study by Smith (2012) reaches different conclusions, finding no increase in ....

Smith's cross-country analysis (2012) showed that ....

Smith's comparative study (2012) found that ....

Detailed examination of X by Smith and Patel (1961) showed that ....

In another major study, Zhao (1974) found that just over half of the ....

In a study which set out to determine X, Smith (2012) found that ....

In a randomised controlled study of X, Smith (2012) reported that ....

In an analysis of X, Smith et al. (2012) found ....

In an investigation into X, Smith et al. (2012) found ....

In a large longitudinal study, Smith et al. (2012) investigated the incidence of X in Y.

2.8 Reference to single investigations in the past: research topic as subject

Classical conditioning was first demonstrated experimentally by Pavlov (Smith, 2002). In his

seminal study ....

The electronic spectroscopy of X was first studied by Smith and Douglas 1 in 1970

The acid-catalyzed condensation reaction between X and Y was first reported by Baeyer in

1872

X formed the central focus of a study by Smith (2002) in which the author found ....


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X was originally isolated from Y in a soil sample from .... (Wang et al., 1952).

The way in which the X gene is regulated was studied extensively by Ho and colleagues (Ho

et al. 1995 and 1998).

To determine the effects of X, Zhao et al (2005) compared ....

2.9 Reference to what other writers do in their text (author as subject)

Smith (2013) identifies poor food, bad housing, inadequate hygiene and large families as the

major causes of ....

Rao (2013) lists three reasons why the English language has become so dominant. These

are: ....

Smith (2013) traces the development of Japanese history and philosophy during the 19th

century.

Jones(2013) provides in-depth analysis of the work of Aristotle showing its relevance to

contemporary times.

Smith (2013) draws our attention to distinctive categories of motivational beliefs often

observed in ....

Smith (2013) defines evidence based medicine as the conscious, explicit and judicious use

of .....

Rao (2013) highlights the need to break the link between economic growth and transport

growth .....

Smith (2013) discusses the challenges and strategies for facilitating and promoting ....

Toh (2013) mentions the special situation of Singapore as an example of ....

Smith (2013) questions whether mainstream schools are the best environment for ....

Smith (2013) considers whether countries work well on cross-border issues such as ....

Smith (2013) uses examples of these various techniques as evidence that ....

In her major study,

In her seminal article,

In her classic critique

of ....,

Smith (2012) identifies five characteristics of .......


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In her case study of ...,

In her review of ....,

In her analysis of ....,

In her introduction

to ....,'

Some analysts (e.g. Carnoy, 2002) have attempted to draw fine distinctions between ....

Other authors (see Harbison, 2003; Kaplan, 2004) question the usefulness of such an

approach.

2.10 Reference to other writers' ideas (author as subject)

According to Smith (2003), preventative medicine is far more cost effective, and therefore

better adapted to the developing world.

Smith (2013)

points out

argues

maintains

claims

concludes

suggests

that

preventative medicine is far more cost

effective, and therefore better adapted to

the developing world

Smith (2013)

argues for

offers

proposes

suggests

an explanatory theory for each type of irrational

belief.

This view is supported by Jones (2000) who writes ....

Smith argues that her data support O'Brien's (1988) view that ....


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As Smith reminds us, ....

Elsewhere, Smith has argued that ....

2.11 Some ways of introducing quotations

In the final part of the Theses, Marx writes: "Philosophers have hitherto only interpreted the

world in various ways; the point ...."

Sachs concludes: "The idea of development stands today like a ruin in the intellectual

landscape…" (Sachs, 1992a: 156).

As Smith argues: "In the past, the purpose of education was to ...." (Smith , 2000:150).

As Carnoy (2004: 215) states: "there are many good reasons to be skeptical".


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BEING CRITICAL

As an academic writer, you are expected to be critical of the sources that you use. This

essentially means questioning what you read and not necessarily agreeing with it just

because the information has been published. Being critical can also mean looking for

reasons why we should not just accept something as being correct or true. This can require

you to identify problems with a writer's arguments or methods, or perhaps to refer to other

people's criticisms of these. Constructive criticism goes beyond this by suggesting ways in

which a piece of research or writing could be improved.

...... being against is not enough. We also need to develop habits of constructive thinking.

Edward de Bono

3.1 Introducing questions, problems and limitations (theory)

One question that needs to be asked, however, is whether ....

A serious weakness with this argument, however, is that ....

One of the limitations with this explanation is that it does not explain why... .

One criticism of much of the literature on X is that ....

The key problem with this explanation is that ....

The existing accounts fail to resolve the contradiction between X and Y.

However, there is an inconsistency with this argument.

Smith's argument relies too heavily on qualitative analysis of ....

It seems that Jones' understanding of the X framework is questionable.

Smith's interpretation overlooks much of the historical research ....

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17

One major criticism of Smith's work is that ....

Many writers have challenged Jones' claim on the grounds that ....

X's analysis does not take account of .... nor does he examine ....

3.2 Introducing questions, problems and limitations (method/practice)

Another problem with this approach is that it fails to take X into account.

Perhaps the most serious disadvantage of this method is that ....

Difficulties arise, however, when an attempt is made to implement the policy.

Nevertheless, the strategy has not escaped criticism from governments, agencies and

academics.

One major drawback of this approach is that ....

The main limitation of biosynthetic incorporation, however, is ....

However, this method of analysis has a number of limitations.

However, approaches of this kind carry with them various well known limitations.

All the studies reviewed so far, however, suffer from the fact that ....

However, there are limits to how far the idea of/concept of X can be taken.

However, such explanations tend to overlook the fact that ....

However, one of the problems with the instrument the researchers used to measure X was ....

However, all the previously mentioned

methods suffer from some serious

limitations

weaknesses

disadvantages

drawbacks.

3.3 Identifying a study's weakness

(However,)

the main weakness of the study is the failure to address how ....

the study fails to consider the differing categories of damage that ....

the research does not take into account pre-existing .... such as ....


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the author offers no explanation for the distinction between X and Y.

Smith makes no attempt to differentiate between various different types of X.

Jones fails to fully acknowledge the significance of ....

the paper would appear to be over ambitious in its claims.

the author overlooks the fact that X contributes to Y.

what Smith fails to do is to draw a distinction between ....

another weakness is that we are given no explanation of how ....

Smith fails to fully define what ....

no attempt was made to quantify the association between X and Y.

3.4 Offering constructive suggestions

Smith's paper

Her

conclusions

The study

The findings

would have

been

might have

been

more

much

more

far more

useful

convincing

interesting

persuasive

original

if he/she had

if the author

had

included ....

considered ....

adopted ....

used ....

A more comprehensive study would include all the groups of ....

A better study would examine a large, randomly selected sample of societies with ....

A much more systematic approach would identify how X interacts with other variables that

are believed to be linked to ....

3.5 Using evaluative adjectives to comment on research


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In

his/her

In

their

In this

excellent

comprehensive

detailed

useful

thorough

groundbreaking

timely

important

impressive

------------------------

limited

small-scale

exploratory

analysis (of X),

examination (of

X),

study (of X),

survey (of X),

investigation

(into Y),

Smith (2012)

Jones et al.

(2012)

found ....

was/were able to show

that ....

concluded that ....

3.6 Highlighting inadequacies of previous studies

Most studies in the field of X have only focused on ....

Most studies in X have only been carried out in a small number of areas.

The generalisability of much published research on this issue is problematic.

The experimental data are rather controversial, and there is no general agreement about ....

Such expositions are unsatisfactory because they ....

However, few writers have been able to draw on any structured research into the opinions

and attitudes of ....

The research to date has tended to focus on X rather than Y.

The existing accounts fail to resolve the contradiction between X and Y.

Researchers have not treated X in much detail.

Previous studies of X have not dealt with ....

However, these studies used non-validated methods to measure ....

Half of the studies evaluated failed to specify whether ....

However, much of the research up to now has been descriptive in nature ….


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Although extensive research has been carried out on X, no single study exists which

adequately covers ....

However, these results were based upon data from over 30 years ago and it is unclear if

these differences still persist.

3.7 Introducing other people's criticisms

However, Jones (2003) points out that ....

Many analysts now argue that the strategy of X has not been successful. Jones (2003), for

example, argues that ....

Non-government agencies are also very critical of the new policies.

The X theory has been / vigorously / strongly challenged in recent years by a number of

writers.

Smith's analysis has been criticised by a number of writers. Jones (1993), for example, points

out that ....

Smith's meta-analysis has been subjected to considerable criticism.

The most important of these criticisms is that Smith failed to note that ....

Jones (2003) is probably the best known critic of the X theory. He argues that ....

The latter point has been devastatingly critiqued by Jones (2003).

Critics have also argued that not only do social surveys provide an inaccurate measure of X,

but the....

Critics question the ability of poststructuralist theory to provide ....

More recent arguments against X have been summarised by Smith and Jones (1982):

Jones (2003) is critical of the conclusions that Smith draws from his findings.


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DESCRIBING METHODS

In the Methods section of a dissertation or research article, writers give an account of how

they carried out their research. The Materials and Methods section should be clear and

detailed enough for another experienced person to repeat the research and reproduce the

results. Typical features with examples of this language are listed below.

4.1 Describing previously used methods

To date various methods have been developed and introduced to measure X:

In most recent studies, X has been measured in four different ways.

Traditionally, X has been assessed by measuring….

This test is widely available, and has been used in many investigational studies.

Recently, simpler and more rapid tests of X have been developed.

Radiographic techniques are the main non-invasive method used to determine ....

Different authors have measured X in a variety of ways.

Previous studies have based their criteria for selection on ....

A variety of methods are used to assess X. Each has its advantages and drawbacks.

Data were gathered from multiple sources at various time points during ....

4.2 Giving reasons why a particular method was adopted or rejected

The semi-structured approach was chosen because ....

Smith et al. (1994) identify several advantages of the case study, ....

It was decided that the best method to adopt for this investigation was to ....

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A case study approach was used to allow a ....

A case-study approach was chosen since ....

The design of the questionnaires was based on ....

The X method is one of the more practical ways of ....

It was considered that quantitative measures would usefully supplement and extend the

qualitative analysis.

Many of the distributions were not normal so non-parametric signed rank tests were run.

The X approach has a number of attractive features: ....

The second advantage of using the multivariate method is ....

However, there are certain drawbacks associated with the use of ....

The main disadvantage of the experimental method is that ....

A major problem with the experimental method is that ....

4.3 Indicating a specific method

X was prepared according to the procedure used by Patel et al. (1957).

The synthesis of X was done according to the procedure of Smith (1973).

X was synthesised using the same method that was detailed for Y, using ....

This compound was prepared by adapting the procedure used by Zhao et al. (1990).

For this study, the X was used to explore the subsurface ....

An alternative method for making scales homogenous is by using ....

4.4 Describing the characteristics of the sample

The initial sample consisted of 200 students of whom 13 did not complete all of the

interviews

All studies described as using some sort of X procedure were included in the analysis.

A systematic literature review was conducted of studies that ....

All of the participants were aged between 18 and 19 at the beginning of the study.....

Two groups of subjects were interviewed, namely X and Y. The first group were ....

A random sample of patients with .... was recruited from ....

Forty-seven students studying X were recruited for this study.


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The students were divided into two groups based on their performance on ....

The project used a convenience sample of 32 first year modern languages students.

Just over half the sample (53%) was female, of whom 69% were ....

Participants were recruited from 15 clinics across ...., covering urban and rural areas ....

Eligibility criteria required individuals to have received ….

Five individuals were excluded from the study on the basis of ….

Eligible women who matched the selection criteria were identified by …

Semi structured interviews were conducted with 17 male offenders with a mean age of 38

years

A comparison group of 12 male subjects without any history of X was drawn from a pool of

….

Articles were searched from January 1965 until April 2010.

Publications were only included in the analysis if .…

4.5 Indicating reasons for sample characteristics

A small sample was chosen because of the expected difficulty of obtaining ....

The subjects were selected on the basis of a degree of homogeneity of their ....

Criteria for selecting the subjects were as follows:

4.6 Describing the process: infinitive of purpose

In order to identify the T10 and T11 spinous processes, the subjects were asked to ....

In order to understand how X regulates Y, a series of transfections was performed.

To enable the subjects to see the computer screen clearly, the laptop was configured with ....

To see if the two methods gave the same measurement, the data was plotted and ....

To control for bias, measurements were carried out by another person.

To measure X, a question asking .... was used.

To determine whether ..., KG-1 cells were incubated for ....

To establish whether ....,

To increase the reliability of measures, each X was tested twice with a 4-min break between ....

To compare the scores three weeks after initial screening, a global ANOVA F-test was used


24

The vials were capped with .... to prevent volatisation.

In an attempt to make each interviewee feel as comfortable as possible, the interviewer ....

4.7 Describing the process: other phrases expressing purpose

For the purpose of height measurement, subjects were asked to stand ....

For the purpose of analysis, 2 segments were extracted from each ....

For the estimation of protein concentration, 100 µL of protein sample was mixed with ....

4.8 Describing the process: typical verbs (note use of passive form)

Data management and analysis was performed using SPSS 8.0 (1999).

Published studies were identified using a search strategy developed in ....

The experiments were carried out over the course of the growing period from ....

Injection solutions were coded by a colleague to reduce experimenter bias.

Drugs were administered by icv injection under brief CO2 narcosis;

The mean score for the two trials was subjected to multivariate analysis of variance to

determine ....

The subjects were asked to pay close attention to the characters whenever ....

Prompts were used as an aid to question two so that ....

The pilot interviews were conducted informally by the trained interviewer ....

Blood samples were obtained with consent, from 256 Caucasian male patients ....

Independent tests were carried out on the x and y scores for the four years from ....

This experiment was repeated under conditions in which the poor signal/noise ratio was

improved.

Significance levels were set at the 1% level using the student t-test.

A total of 256 samples were taken from 52 boreholes (Figure 11).

The experiments were run using custom software written in....

Two sets of anonymised questionnaires were completed by ....

Article references were searched further for additional relevant publications.


25

4.9 Describing the process: sequence words/phrases

Prior to commencing the study, ethical clearance was sought from ....

In the end, the EGO was selected as the measurement tool for the current study.

After "training", the subjects were told that the characters stood for X and that their task was

to ....

After collection, the samples were shipped back to X in ....

After conformational analysis of X, it was necessary to ....

Once the Xs were located and marked, a thin clear plastic ruler ....

Once the positions had been decided upon, the Xs were removed from each Y and replaced by ....

Once the exposures were completed, the X was removed from the Y and placed in ......

On completion of X, the process of model specification and parameter estimation was carried

out.

Following this, the samples were recovered and stored overnight at ....

These ratings were then made for the ten stimuli to which the subject had been exposed ......

The analysis was checked when initially performed and then checked again at the end of ......

The subjects were then shown a film individually and were asked to ......

The soil was then weighed again, and this weight was recorded as ....

The results were corrected for the background readings and then averaged before

being converted to......

Finally, questions were asked as to the role of ......

4.10 Describing the process: adverbs of manner

The soil was then placed in a furnace and gradually heated up to .....

The vials were shaken manually to allow the soil to mix well with the water.

The medium was then aseptically transferred to a conical flask.

The resulting solution was gently mixed at room temperature for ten minutes and ......

A sample of the concentrate was then carefully injected into ....

The tubes were accurately reweighed to six decimal places using ....


26

4.11 Describing the process: passive verb + using .... for instruments

15 subjects were recruited using email advertisements requesting healthy students from ....

All the work on the computer was carried out using Quattro Pro for Windows and ......l.

Data were collected using two high spectral resolution spectroradiometers.

The data was recorded on a digital audio recorder and transcribed using a ....

Semi-automated genotyping was carried out using X software and ....

Statistical significance was analysed using analysis of variance and t-tests as appropriate.

Comparisons between the two groups were made using unrelated t-tests.

Using the X-ray and looking at the actual X, it was possible to identify ....

Using an Anthos Microplate Reader, we were able to separate single cells into different ....

4.12 Describing the process: giving detailed information

Compounds 3 and 5 were dissolved in X at apparent pH 2.5 to give concentrations of

4mM ....

.... and the solutions were degraded at 55°C or 37°C for a total time of 42 hours.

At intervals of 0.5 min, 50 µLof the X was aliquoted into 0.5mL of cooled boric acid buffer

(pH 7.5) to ....

4.13 Indicating problems or limitations

In this investigation there are several sources for error. The main error is ....

Another major source of uncertainty is in the method used to calculate X..

It was not possible to investigate the significant relationships of X and Y further because the

sample size was too small.

Further data collection is required to determine exactly how X affects Y.


27

REPORTING RESULTS

The standard approach to this section of a dissertation is to merely present the results,

without elaborate discussion or comment. This does not mean that you do not need any text

to describe data presented in tables and figures. Writers usually comment on the significant

data presented in the tables and figures. This often takes the form of the location or

summary statement, which identifies the table or figure and indicates its content. This is

normally followed by a statement or statements which point out and describe the relevant

or significant data. All your tables should be numbered and given a title.

More elaborate commentary on the results is normally restricted to the Discussion section.

In research articles, however, authors may comment extensively on their results as they are

presented, and it is not uncommon for the Results section to be combined with the

Discussion section under the heading: Results and Discussion.

5.1 Reference to aim/method

To assess X, the Y questionnaire was used.

To distinguish between these two possibilities, ......

To compare the scores three weeks after initial screening, a global ANOVA F-test was used

In order to assess Z, repeated-measures ANOVAs were used.

Regression analysis was used to predict the ......

Changes in X and Y were compared using ......

The average scores of X and Y were compared in order to ......

Nine items on the questionnaire measured the extent to which ......

CHAPTER


28

The correlation between X and Y was tested.

The first set of analyses examined the impact of ......

Simple statistical analysis was used to ......

A scatter diagram and a Pearson's product moment correlation were used to determine the

relationship between ......

T-tests were used to analyse the relationship between ......

Comparisons between the two groups were made using unrelated t-tests.

5.2 Location and summary statements:

Table 1

Figure 1

shows

compares

presents

provides

the experimental data on X.

the results obtained from the preliminary analysis of X.

the intercorrelations among the nine measures of X.

The results obtained from the preliminary analysis

of X

are shown

can be compared

are presented

in Table 1.

in Fig 1.

As shown in Figure 12.1,

As can be seen from the table

(above),

It can be seen from the data in

Table 12.1 that

From the graph above we can see

that

the X group reported significantly more Y than the

other two groups.


29

The table below illustrates

The pie chart above shows

some of the main characteristics of the ......

the breakdown of ......

5.3 Highlighting significant data in a table/chart

It is apparent from this table that very few ......

This table is quite revealing in several ways. First, unlike the other tables ......

Data from this table can be compared with the data in Table 4.6 which shows ......

From the data in Figure 9, it is apparent that the length of time left between ......

From this data we can see that Study 2 resulted in the lowest value of ......

The histogram in Fig 1. indicates that ......

What is interesting in this data is that ......

In Fig.10 there is a clear trend of decreasing ......

As Table III shows, there is a significant difference (t = -2.15, p = 0.03) between the two

groups.

The differences between X and Y are highlighted in Table 4

5.4 Statements of result (positive)

Strong evidence of X was found when ......

This result is significant at the p = 0.05 level.

There was a significant positive correlation between ......

There was a significant difference between the two conditions ......

On average, Xs were shown to have ......

The mean score for X was ......

Interestingly, for those subjects with X, ......

A positive correlation was found between X and Y.

The results, as shown in Table 1, indicate that ….

Further analysis showed that ......

Further statistical tests revealed .....


30

5.5 Statements of result (negative)

There was no increase of X associated with .....

There were no significant differences between ......

No significant differences were found between .....

No increase in X was detected.

No difference greater than X was observed.

The Chi-square test did not show any significant differences between ......

None of these differences were statistically significant.

Overall, X did not affect males and females differently in these measure.

No significant reduction in X was found with Y compared with placebo.

A clear benefit of X in the prevention of Y could not be identified in this analysis.

5.6 Highlighting significant, interesting or surprising results

The most striking result to emerge from the data is that ......

Interestingly, this correlation is related to .....

The correlation between X and Y is interesting because ......

The more surprising correlation is with the ......

The single most striking observation to emerge from the data comparison was ......

5.7 Reporting results from questionnaires and interviews

The response rate was 60% at six months and 56% at 12 months.

Of the study population, 90 subjects completed and returned the questionnaire.

Of the initial cohort of 123 students, 66 were female and 57 male.

Thirty-two individuals returned the questionnaires.

The majority of respondents/those who responded felt that .....

Over half of those surveyed reported that ......

70% of those who were interviewed indicated that ......

Almost two-thirds of the participants (64%) said that ......


31

Approximately half of those surveyed did not comment on ......

A small number of those interviewed suggested that ......

Only a small number of respondents indicated that ......

Of the 148 patients who completed the questionnaire, just over half indicated that .......

A minority of participants (17%) indicated ......

In response to Question 1, most of those surveyed indicated that ......

The overall response to this question was very positive.

When the subject were asked ......, the majority commented that .....

Other responses to this question included ......

The overall response to this question was poor.

Some participants expressed the belief that …..

One individual stated that …. And another commented …….

5.8 Transition statements

Turning now to the experimental evidence on ......

Comparing the two results, it can be seen that ......

A comparison of the two results reveals ......

If we now turn to ......


32

DISCUSSION

The term discussion has a variety of meanings in English. In academic writing, however, it

usually refers to two types of activity: a) considering both sides of an issue, or question, b)

considering the results of research and the implications of these. Discussion sections in

dissertations and research articles are probably the most complex in terms of their elements.

The most common elements and some of the language that is typically associated with them

are listed below.

6.1 Background information (reference to literature or to research

aim/question)

A strong relationship between X and Y has been reported in the literature.

Prior studies that have noted the importance of ....

In reviewing the literature, no data was found on the association between X and Y.

As mentioned in the literature review, ....

Very little was found in the literature on the question of ....

This study set out with the aim of assessing the importance of X in ....

The third question in this research was ....

It was hypothesized that participants with a history of ....

The present study was designed to determine the effect of ....

CHAPTER


33

6.2 Statements of result (usually with reference to results section)

The results of this study show/indicate that ....

This experiment did not detect any evidence for ....

On the question of X, this study found that ....

The current study found that ....

The most interesting finding was that ....

Another important finding was that ....

The results of this study did not show that .../did not show any significant increase in ....

In the current study, comparing X with Y showed that the mean degree of ....

In this study, Xs were found to cause ....

X provided the largest set of significant clusters of ....

It is interesting to note that in all seven cases of this study....

6.3 Unexpected outcome

Surprisingly, X was found to ....

Surprisingly, no differences were found in ....

One unanticipated finding was that ....

It is somewhat surprising that no X was noted in this condition ....

What is surprising is that ....

Contrary to expectations, this study did not find a significant difference between ....

However, the observed difference between X and Y in this study was not significant.

However, the ANOVA (one way) showed that these results were not statistically significant.

This finding was unexpected and suggests that ....

6.4 Reference to previous research (support)

This study produced results which corroborate the findings of a great deal of the previous

work in this field.

The findings of the current study are consistent with those of Smith and Jones (2001) who

found ....


34

This finding supports previous research into this brain area which links X and Y.

This study confirms that X is associated with ....

This finding corroborates the ideas of Smith and Jones (2008), who suggested that ....

This finding is in agreement with Smith's (1999) findings which showed ....

It is encouraging to compare this figure with that found by Jones (1993) who found that ....

There are similarities between the attitudes expressed by X in this study and those described

by (Smith, 1987, 1995) and Jones (1986)

These findings further support the idea of ....

Increased activation in the PCC in this study corroborates these earlier findings.

These results are consistent with those of other studies and suggest that ....

The present findings seem to be consistent with other research which found ....

This also accords with our earlier observations, which showed that ....

6.5 Reference to previous research (contradict)

However, the findings of the current study do not support the previous research.

This study has been unable to demonstrate that ....

However, this result has not previously been described.

In contrast to earlier findings, however, no evidence of X was detected.

Although, these results differ from some published studies (Smith, 1992; Jones, 1996), they

are consistent with those of ......

These results differ from X's 2003 estimate of Y, but they are broadly consistent with

earlier ....

6.6 Explanations for results:

There are several possible explanations for this result.

These differences can be explained in part by the proximity of X and Y.

A possible explanation for this might be that ....

Another possible explanation for this is that ....

This result may be explained by the fact that ..../ by a number of different factors.

It is difficult to explain this result, but it might be related to ....


35

It seems possible that these results are due to ......

The reason for this is not clear but it may have something to do with ....

It may be that these students benefitted from ....

This inconsistency/discrepancy may be due to ....

This rather contradictory result may be due to ....

These factors may explain the relatively good correlation between X and Y.

There are, however, other possible explanations.

The possible interference of X cannot be ruled out.

The observed increase in X could be attributed to ....

The observed correlation between X and Y might be explained in this way. .....

Some authors 9,30 have speculated that ....

Since this difference has not been found elsewhere it is probably not due to ....

A possible explanation for some of our results may be the lack of adequate ....

6.7 Advising cautious interpretation

These data must be interpreted with caution because ....

These results therefore need to be interpreted with caution.

However, with a small sample size, caution must be applied, as the findings might not be

transferable to ....

These findings cannot be extrapolated to all patients.

Although exclusion of X did not reduce the effect on X, these results should be interpreted

with caution.



It is important to bear in mind the possible bias in these responses.

6.8 Suggesting general hypotheses

The value of X suggests that a weak link may exist between ....

It is therefore likely that such connections exist between ....

It can thus be suggested that ....


36

It is possible to hypothesise that these conditions are less likely to occur in ....

It is possible/likely/probable therefore that ....

Hence, it could conceivably be hypothesised that ....

These findings suggest that ....

It may be the case therefore that these variations ....

In general, therefore, it seems that ....

It is possible, therefore, that ....

Therefore, X could be a major factor, if not the only one, causing ....

It can therefore be assumed that the ....

This finding, while preliminary, suggests that .…

6.9 Noting implications

This finding has important implications for developing ....

An implication of this is the possibility that ....

One of the issues that emerges from these findings is ....

Some of the issues emerging from this finding relate specifically to ....

This combination of findings provides some support for the conceptual premise that ....

These findings may help us to understand ....

These results provide further support for the hypothesis that ....

6.10 Commenting on findings

However, these results were not very encouraging.

These findings are rather disappointing.

The test was successful as it was able to identify students who ....

The present results are significant in at least major two respects.

These findings will doubtless be much scrutinized, but there are some immediately

dependable conclusions for .…

The results of this study do not explain the occurrence of these adverse events.


37

6.11 Suggestions for future work

However, more research on this topic needs to be undertaken before the association

between X and Y is more clearly understood.

Further research should be done to investigate the .....

Research questions that could be asked include ....

Future studies on the current topic are therefore recommended.

A further study with more focus on X is therefore suggested.

Further studies, which take these variables into account, will need to be undertaken.

Further work is required to establish this.

In future investigations it might be possible to use a different X in which ....

This is an important issue for future research.

Several questions remain unanswered at present.

There is abundant room for further progress in determining ....


38

WRITING CONCLUSIONS

Conclusions are shorter sections of academic texts which usually serve two functions. The

first is to summarise and bring together the main areas covered in the writing, which might

be called "looking back"; and the second is to give a final comment or judgement on this.

The final comment may also include making suggestions for improvement and speculating

on future directions.

In dissertations and research papers, conclusions tend to be more complex and will also

include sections on significance of the findings and recommendations for future work.

Conclusions may be optional in research articles where consolidation of the study and

general implications are covered in the Discussion section. However, they are usually

expected in dissertations and essays.

7.1 Summarising the content

This paper has given an account of and the reasons for the widespread use of X ....

This essay has argued that X is the best instrument to ....

This assignment has explained the central importance of X in Y.

This dissertation has investigated ....

7.2 Restatement of aims (research)

This study set out to determine ....

The present study was designed to determine the effect of ....

In this investigation, the aim was to assess ....

CHAPTER


39

The purpose of the current study was to determine ....

This project was undertaken to design .... and evaluate ....

Returning to the hypothesis/question posed at the beginning of this study, it is now possible

to state that ....

7.3 Summarising the findings (research)

This study has shown that ....

These findings suggest that in general ....

One of the more significant findings to emerge from this study is that ....

It was also shown that....

This study has found that generally ....

The following conclusions can be drawn from the present study ....

The relevance of X is clearly supported by the current findings.

This study/research has shown that ....

The second major finding was that ....

The results of this investigation show that ....

The most obvious finding to emerge from this study is that ....

X, Y and Z emerged as reliable predictors of ....

Multiple regression analysis revealed that the ....

7.4 Suggesting implications

The evidence from this study suggests that ....

The results of this study indicate that ....

The results of this research support the idea that ....

In general, therefore, it seems that ....

Taken together, these results suggest that ....

An implication of this is the possibility that ....

The findings of this study suggest that ....


40

7.5 Significance of the findings (research contribution)

This work contributes to existing knowledge X by providing ....

The X that we have identified therefore assists in our understanding of the role of ....

These findings enhance our understanding of ....

This research will serve as a base for future studies and ....

The current findings add substantially to our understanding of ....

The current findings add to a growing body of literature on ....

The study has gone some way towards enhancing our understanding of ....

The methods used for this X may be applied to other Xs elsewhere in the world.

The present study, however, makes several noteworthy contributions to ....

The empirical findings in this study provide a new understanding of ….

The findings from this study make several contributions to the current literature. First,…

The present study provides additional evidence with respect to ….

Taken together, these findings suggest a role for X in promoting Y.

The present study confirms previous findings and contributes additional evidence that

suggests ....

7.6 Significance of the findings with a qualification

Whilst this study did not confirm X, it did partially substantiate ....

Despite its exploratory nature, this study offers some insight into ....

Although the current study is based on a small sample of participants, the findings suggest

that ….

Notwithstanding these limitations, the study suggests that ….

7.7 Limitations of the current study (research)

Finally, a number of important limitations need to be considered. First, ....

A number of caveats need to be noted regarding the present study.

The most important limitation lies in the fact that ....

The current investigation was limited by ....


41

The current study was unable to analyse these variables.

The current research was not specifically designed to evaluate factors related to ....

The current study has only examined ....

The project was limited in several ways. First, the project used a convenience sample that ....



The sample was nationally representative of X but would tend to miss people who were ....

A limitation of this study is that the numbers of patients and controls were relatively small.

Thirdly, the study did not evaluate the use of ....

However, these findings are limited by the use of a cross sectional design.

The findings in this report are subject to at least three limitations. First, these data apply

only to ….

An issue that was not addressed in this study was whether….

One source of weakness in this study which could hare affected the measurements of was

that ....

Several limitations to this pilot study need to be acknowledged. The sample size is .....

The main weakness of this study was the paucity of ….

7.8 Recommendations for further work (research)

This research has thrown up many questions in need of further investigation.

Further work needs to be done to establish whether ....

It is recommended that further research be undertaken in the following areas:

Further experimental investigations are needed to estimate ....

What is now needed is a cross-national study involving ....

More broadly, research is also needed to determine ....

It is suggested that the association of these factors is investigated in future studies.

Further research might explore/investigate ....

Further research in this field/regarding the role of X would be of great help in ....

Further investigation and experimentation into X is strongly recommended.

A number of possible future studies using the same experimental set up are apparent.


42

It would be interesting to assess the effects of ....

More information on X would help us to establish a greater degree of accuracy on this

matter.

If the debate is to be moved forward, a better understanding of .... needs to be developed.

I suggest that before X is introduced, a study similar to this one should be carried out on ....

These findings provide the following insights for future research: ....

Considerably more work will need to be done to determine ....

Future trials should assess a full selective decontamination regimen including

More research is needed to better understand when implementation ends and ....

It would be interesting to compare experiences of individuals within the same … group.

A further study could assess ….

A future study investigating X would be very interesting.

The issue of X is an intriguing one which could be usefully explored in further research.

Future research should therefore concentrate on the investigation of ….

More research is required on ....

Large randomised controlled trials could provide more definitive evidence.

7.9 Implications/recommendations for practice or policy

These findings suggest several courses of action for ....

An implication of these findings is that both X and Y should be taken into account when ....

The findings of this study have a number of important implications for future practice.

There is, therefore, a definite need for ....

There are a number of important changes which need to be made.

Another important practical implication is that ....

Moreover, more X should be made available to ....

Other types of X could include : a), b). ....

Unless governments adopt X, Y will not be attained.

This information can be used to develop targeted interventions aimed at ....

A reasonable approach to tackle this issue could be to ....

Taken together, these findings do not support strong recommendations to ....


43

WRITING DEFINITIONS

In academic work students are often expected to give definitions of key words and phrases

in order to demonstrate to their tutors that they understand these terms clearly. Academic

writers generally, however, define terms so that their readers understand exactly what is

meant when certain key terms are used. When important words are not clearly understood

misinterpretation may result. In fact, many disagreements (academic, legal, diplomatic,

personal) arise as a result of different interpretations of the same term. In academic writing,

teachers and their students often have to explore these differing interpretations before

moving on to study a topic.

8.1 Introductory phrases

It is necessary here to clarify exactly what is meant by ....

This shows a need to be explicit about exactly what is meant by the word X.

X is a term frequently used in the literature, but to date there is no consensus about ....

8.2 Simple three-part definitions

A university is an institution where knowledge is "produced" and

passed on to others.

Social Economics may be

broadly defined as

the branch of

economics

[which is] concerned with the

measurement, causes and consequences of

CHAPTER


44

social problems.

Research may be defined as a systematic

process

which consists of three elements or

components: (1) a question, problem, or

hypothesis, (2) data, and (3) analysis and

interpretation of data.

Braille is a system

of touch reading and writing for blind

people in which raised dots on paper

represent the letters of the alphabet.

8.3 General meanings / application of meanings

The term X refers to ....

The term X has come to be used to refer to ....

The term X is generally understood to mean ....

The term X has been applied to situations where students ....

The term X encompasses A), B), and C).

In broad biological terms, X can be defined as any stimulus that is ....

The broad use of the term X is sometimes equated with ....

The term disease refers to a biological event characterised by .....

In the literature, the term tends to be used to refer to ....

X can be defined as .... It encompasses ....

The term X is a relatively new name for a Y, commonly referred to....

X can be loosely described as a correlation.

8.4 Indicating difficulties in defining a term


45

In the field of language teaching, various definitions of X are found.

X is a commonly used notion in language learning and yet it is a concept difficult to define

precisely.

A generally accepted definition of X is lacking.

Smith (2001) identified four abilities that might be subsumed under the term X: a) ....

The term X embodies a multitude of concepts which ....

Although differences of opinion still exist, there appears to be some agreement that X refers to ....

Unfortunately, X remains a poorly defined term.

8.5 Specifying terms that are used in an essay/thesis

In this essay, the term overseas student will be used in its broadest sense to refer to all students

who ....

Throughout this thesis, the term education is used to refer to informal systems as well as

formal systems.

While a variety of definitions of the term X have been suggested, this paper will use the definition

first suggested by Smith (1968) who saw it as ....

In this paper, the term that will be used to describe this phenomenon is X

In this dissertation the terms X and Y are used interchangeably to mean ....

8.6 Referring to people's definitions (author prominent)

Smith (1954) was apparently the first to use the term ....

Chomsky writes that a grammar is a 'device of some sort for producing the .....' (1957, p.11).

According to a definition provided by Smith (2001:23), fluency is 'the maximally ....

The term "fluency" is used by Smith (2001) to refer to ....

Smith (2001) uses the term "fluency" to refer to ....

For Smith (2001), fluency means/refers to ....

Macro-stabilisation policy is defined by Smith (2003: 119) as "...."

Aristotle defines the imagination as "the movement which results upon an actual sensation."

The term "matter" is used by Aristotle in four overlapping senses. First, it is the

underlying ..... Secondly, it is the potential which ....

Smith et al. (2002) have provided a new definition of health: "health is a state of being with


46

physical, cultural, psychological ...."

In 1987, sports psychologist John Smith popularized the term X to describe ....

This definition is close to those of Smith (2012) and Jones (2013) who define X as ….

8.7 Referring to people's definitions (author non-prominent)

Validity is the degree to which an assessment process or device measures what it is

intended to measure (Smith et al., 1986)


47

GIVING EXAMPLES

Writers may give specific examples as evidence to support their general claims or

arguments. Examples can also be used to help the reader or listener understand unfamiliar

or difficult concepts, and they tend to be easier to remember. For this reason, they are often

used in teaching. Finally, students may be required to give examples in their work to

demonstrate that they have understood a complex problem or concept.

Many paragraphs in academic writing show development from general statements to

specific details or examples. In most paragraphs, therefore, examples usually come after a

more general statement, as in the short extract below.

Many words can often acquire a more narrow meaning over time, or may come to be chiefly used in

one special sense. A classic example of this practice is the word doctor. There were doctors (i.e.,

learned men) in theology, law, and many other fields beside medicine, but nowadays when we send

for the doctor we mean a member of only one profession.

Examples as the main information in a sentence:

For example / instance, the word doctor used to mean a learned man.

For example, Smith and Jones (2004) conducted a series of semi-structured interviews in ......

By way of illustration, Smith (2003) shows how the data for .....

A classic / well-known example of this is .......

An example of this is the study carried out by Smith (2004) in which .......

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48

X is a good example / illustration of .......

X illustrates this point / shows this point clearly.

This can be illustrated briefly by .......

Young people begin smoking for a variety of reasons. They may, for example, be influenced

by their peers, or they may see their parents as role models.

The evidence of X


49

CLASSIFYING AND LISTING

When we classify things, we group and name them on the basis of something that they have

in common. By doing this we can understand certain qualities and features which they

shares as a class. Classifying is also a way of understanding differences between things. In

writing, classifying is often used as a way of introducing a reader to a new topic. Along with

writing definitions, the function of classification may be used in the early part of an essay, or

longer piece of writing. We list things when we want to treat and present a series of items or

different pieces of information systematically. The order of a list may indicate rank

importance.

10.1 General Classifications

X may be divided into three main

classes

sub-groups

categories

X may be classified

on the basis of

according to

depending on

in terms of

Y into Xi and Xii

Bone is generally classified into two types: cortical bone, also known as ...., and cancellous

bone or ....

CHAPTER


50

Aristotle's systematic treatises may be grouped in several divisions: logic, psychological

works, physical ....

The works of Aristotle fall under three headings: (1) dialogues and ....; (2) collections of facts

and ....; and (3) systematic works. There are two basic approaches currently being adopted

in research into X. One is the Y approach and the other is ....

Associative learning can be categorised into classical and operant conditioning. Classical

conditioning was first ....

Generally, spectratyping provides two types of information: band intensity pattern and

band number.

10.2 Specific Classifications

In the U.S. system, X is graded

according to whether ....

on the basis of ....

in terms of

Smith (1966)

divided

classified

grouped

Xs into two broad types: Xi's and Xii's

Thomas and Nelson (1996)

describe

four basic types

of

validity: logical, content, criterion and

construct.

Smith and Jones (2003) argue that there are two broad categories of Y, which are: a) .... and b) ....

For Aristotle, motion is of four kinds: (1) motion which ....; (2) motion which ....; (3) motion

which ....; and (4) motion which....


51

10.3 Introducing Lists

The key aspects of management can be listed as follows: X, Y and Z.

During his tour of Britain, he visited the following industrial centres: Manchester, Leeds,

Bristol, and Birmingham.

There are three reasons why the English language has become so dominant. These are:

There are two types of effect which result when a patient undergoes X. These are ....

Appetitive stimuli have three separable basic functions. Firstly, they .... Secondly, they ....

The disadvantages of the new approach can be discussed under three headings, which are: ....

This topic can best be treated under three headings: X, Y and Z.

This section has been included for several reasons: it is ....; it illustrates ....; and it describes....

The "Mass for Four Voices" consists of five movements, which are: the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo,

Santus and Agnus Dei.

The "Three Voices for Mass" is divided into six sections. These are: the Kyrie, Gloria, .....

10.4 Referring to other people's lists

Smith (2003) suggests three conditions for its acceptance. Firstly, X should be .... Secondly, it

needs to be.... Thirdly, .....

Smith and Jones (1991) list X, Y and Z as the major causes of infant mortality.

Smith and Jones (2003) argue that there are two broad categories of Y, which are: a) .... and b) ....

For Aristotle, motion is of four kinds: (1) motion which ....; (2) motion which ....; (3) motion

which ....; and (4) motion which....

Smith (2003) lists the main features of X as follows: it is X; it is Y; and it has Z.


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DESCRIBING CAUSES AND EFFECTS

A great deal of academic work involves understanding and suggesting solutions to

problems. At postgraduate level, particularly in applied fields, students search out problems

to study. In fact, one could say that problems are the food for a significant proportion of

academic activity. However, solutions cannot be suggested unless the problem is fully

analysed, and this involves a thorough understanding of the causes. Some of the language

that you may find useful for explaining causes and effects is listed below.

11.1 Verbs expressing causality

Lack of protein

may cause

can lead to

can result in

mental retardation.

Low levels of chlorine in the body can give rise to high blood presssure.

Much of the instability stems from the economic effects of the war.

Kwashiorkor is a disease

Beri-beri is a disease

caused by

resulting from

insufficient protein.

vitamin deficiency.

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Scurvy is a disease stemming from lack of vitamin C.

11.2 Nouns expressing causality

The most likely causes of X are poor diet and lack of exercise.

A consequence of vitamin A deficiency is blindness.

Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining fitness.

Many other medications have an influence on cholesterol levels.

Another reason why Xs are considered to be important is that .......

11.3 Prepositional phrases expressing causality

200,000 people per year become deaf

owing to

because of

as a result of

a lack of iodine.

11.4 Sentence connectors expressing causality

If undernourished and retarded children do

survive to become adults, they have

Therefore,

Consequently,

Because of this,

when they grow up, it will

probably be difficult for


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decreased learning ability. As a result (of

this),

them to find work.

11.5 Adverbial phrases expressing causality

Malnutrition leads to illness and a reduced ability

to work in adulthood, thus/thereby

perpetuating the poverty

cycle.

The warm air rises above the surface of the sea, thus/thereby creating an area of low

pressure.

11.6 Other examples

As a consequence of X , it appears that winds alone are not the causative factor of.......

Due to X and Y inflowing surface water becomes more dense as it .......

X and Y are important driving factors of Z.

The mixing of X and Y exerts a powerful effect upon Z through ......

11.7 Possible cause and effect relationships (expressed tentatively)

This suggests a weak link may exist between X and Y.

The human papilloma virus is linked to most cervical cancer.

Stomach cancer in many cases may be associated with certain bacterial infections.

A high consumption of seafood could be associated with infertility.

There is some evidence that X may affect Y.


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COMPARING AND CONTRASTING

By understanding similarities and differences between two things, we can increase our

understanding and learn more about both. This usually involves a process of analysis, in

which we compare the specific parts as well as whole. Comparison may also be a

preliminary stage of evaluation. For example, by comparing specific aspects of A and B, we

can decide which is more useful or valuable. Many paragraphs whose function is to

compare or contrast will begin with an introductory sentence expressed in general terms.

Note the introductory sentences below.

12.1 Introductory Sentences: Differences

X is different from Y in a number of respects.

There are a number of important differences between X and Y.

X differs from Y in a number of important ways.

Smith (2003) found distinct differences between X and Y.

Women and men differ not only in physical attributes but also in the way in which they ....

12.2 Introductory Sentences: Similarities

The mode of processing used by the right brain is similar to that used by the left brain.

The mode of processing used by the right brain is comparable in complexity to that used by

the left brain.

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The effects of nitrous dioxide on human health are similar to those of ground level ozone.

Both X and Y generally take place in a "safe environment".

There are a number of similarities between X and Y.

Numerous studies have compared the brain cells in man and animals and found that the cells

are essentially identical.

12.3 Comparison within one sentence

In contrast to oral communities, it is very difficult to get away from calendar time in literate

societies.

Compared with people in oral cultures, people in literate cultures organise their lives around

clocks and calendars.

Oral societies tend to be more concerned with the present whereas literate societies have a

very definite awareness of the past.

Whereas Ghazali rejected non-Islamic philosophers, Aquinas incorporated ancient Greek

thought into his own philosophical writings.

Women's brains process language simultaneously in the two sides of the brain, while men

tend to process it in the left side only.

This interpretation contrasts with that of Smith and Jones (2004) who argue that ......

12.4 Comparison within one sentence (comparative forms)

Women are faster/slower than men at certain precision manual tasks, such as placing pegs in

holes on a board.

Women tend to perform better/worse than men on tests of perceptual speed.

Further, men are more/less accurate in tests of target-directed motor skills.

The corpus callosum, a part of the brain connecting the two hemispheres, may be more/less

extensive in women.


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Women are more/less likely than men to suffer aphasia when the front part of the brain is

damaged.

Adolescents are less likely to be put to sleep by alcohol than adults.

Women tend to have greater/less verbal fluency than men.

Men learned the route in fewer trials and made fewer errors than did women.

12.5 Indicating difference across two sentences

It is very difficult to get away from calendar time in literate societies. By contrast/in contrast,

many people in oral communities have little idea of the calendar year of their birth.

It is very difficult to get away from calendar time in literate societies. On the other hand,

many people in oral communities have little idea of the calendar year of their birth.

12.6 Indicating similarity across two sentences

Young children learning their first language need simplified input. Similarly, low level adult

L2 learners need graded input supplied in most cases by a teacher.

Young children learning their first language need simplified input. Likewise, low level adult

L2 learners need graded input supplied in most cases by a teacher.

Speech functions are less likely to be affected in women because the critical area is less often

affected. A similar pattern emerges in studies of the control of hand movements.


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WRITING ABOUT THE PAST

Writing about the past in English is made difficult by the rather complex tense system.

However the phrases grouped below give an indication of the uses of the main tenses in

academic writing. For a comprehensive explanation of the uses of the various tenses you

will need to consult a good English grammar book. A good recommendation is Practical

English Usage by Michael Swan, OUP.

13.1 Time phrases associated with the use of the simple past tense (specific

times or periods of time in the past completed)

For centuries,

In the second half of the 19th century,

At the end of the nineteenth century,

church authorities placed restrictions on

academics.

During the Nazi period,

Between 1933 and 1945,

From 1933 to 1945,

In the 1930s and 1940s,

restrictions were placed on German academics.

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13.2 Reference to single investigations or publications in the past: simple past

tense used

The first systematic study of the X was reported by Patel et al. in 1986.

Erythromycin was originally isolated from X in a soil sample from ...... (Wang et al., 1952).

In 1975, Smith et al. published a paper in which they described .....

In 1990 Patel et al. demonstrated that replacement of H2O with heavy water led to ......

Thirty years later, Smith (1974) reported three cases of Candida Albicans which .......

In the 1950s Gunnar Myrdal pointed to some of the ways in which …………… (Myrdal, 1957)

In 1981, Smith and co workers demonstrated that X induced in vitro resistance to .......

In 1984 Jones et al. made several amino acid esters of X and evaluated them as water-soluble

pro-drugs.

An experimental demonstration of this effect was first carried out by ......

The first experimental realisation of ......, by Smith et al. [12], used a ......

13.3 Time phrases associated with the use of the present perfect tense (for

situations/actions which began in the past and continue up to the present,

or for which the period of time is unspecified):

Over the past few decades, the world has seen the stunning transformation of X, Y and Z.

Since 1965, these four economies have doubled their share of world production and trade.

Until recently, there has been little interest in X.

Recently, these questions have been addressed by researchers in many fields.

In recent years researchers have investigated a variety of approaches to X but ....

Up to now, the research has tended to focus on X rather than on Y.

To date, little evidence has been found associating X with Y.

So far, three factors have been identified as being potentially important: X, Y, and Z.


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13.4 The present perfect tense may also be used to describe recent research or

scholarly activity with focus on the area of enquiry - usually more than one

study

There have been several investigations into the causes of illiteracy (Smith, 1985; Jones, 1987).

The relationship between a diet high in fats and poor health has been widely investigated

(Smith, 1985, Jones, 1987, Johnson, 1992).

The new material has been shown to enhance cooling properties (Smith, 1985, Jones, 1987,

Johnson, 1992).

Invasive plants have been identified as major contributing factors for the decline of many

North American species (1).

A considerable amount of literature has been published on X.


61

DESCRIBING TRENDS AND

PROJECTIONS

A trend is a description of change over time. A projection is a prediction of future change.

Trends and projections are usually illustrated using line graphs in which the horizontal axis

represents time. Some of the language commonly used for writing about trends and

projections is given below.

14.1 Describing trends

The graph shows that there

has been a

slight

gradual

steady

marked

steep

sharp

increase

rise

decrease

fall

decline

drop

in the number of divorces in England

and Wales since 1981.

14.2 Describing high and low points in figures

The number of live births outside marriage reached a peak during the second world war.

The peak age for committing a crime is 18.

Oil production peaked in 1985.

Gas production reached a (new) low in 1990.

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62

14.3 Projecting trends

The number of Xs

The amount of Y

The rate of Z

is projected to

is expected to

is likely to

will probably

decline steadily

drop sharply

level off

after 2010.

14.4 Describing Quantities

14.4.1 Describing ratios and proportions

The proportion of live births outside marriage reached one in ten in 1945.

The annual birth rate dropped from 44.4 to 38.6 per 1000 per annum.

14.4.2 Describing fractions

Of the 148 patients who completed the questionnaire, just over half indicated that .......


Over half of those surveyed indicated that ......

70% of those who were interviewed indicated that .....

Approximately half of those surveyed did not comment on ......

Nearly half of the respondents (48%) agreed that ......

Less than a third of those who responded (32%) indicated that ......

The number of first marriages in the United Kingdom fell by nearly two-fifths.

14.4.3 Describing percentages

13.1% of young men and 23.1% of young women who had married said that they ......

Returned surveys from 34 radiologists yielded a 34% response rate.


East Anglia had the lowest proportion of lone parents at only 14 per cent.

Since 1981, England has experienced an 89 % increase in crime.

The mean income of the bottom 20 percent of U.S. families declined from $10,716 in 1970

to .......

A study in Java found that of 2,558 abortions, 58% were in young women aged 15-24, of

whom 62% were .....


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He also noted that less than 10% of the articles included in his study cited ......

In 1960 just over 5% of live births in 1960 were outside marriage.

14.4.4 Describing averages

This figure can be seen as the average life expectancy at various ages.

The proposed model suggests a steep decline in mean life expectancy ......

Roman slaves probably had a lower than average life expectancy.

The average of 12 observations in the X, Y and Z is 19.2 mgs/m .....

The mean score for the two trials was subjected to multivariate analysis of variance to

determine ......

The mean income of the bottom 20 percent of U.S. families declined from $10,716 in 1970

to .......

14.4.5 Describing ranges

The evidence shows that life expectancy from birth lies in the range of twenty to thirty years.

Between 575 and 590 metres depth the sea floor is extremely flat, with an average slope of

only 1 : 400

The mean income of the bottom 20 percent of U.S. families declined from $10,716 in 1970 to

$9,833 in 1990.

The respondents had practiced for an average of 15 years (range 6 to 35 years)

The participants were aged 19 to 25 and were from both rural and urban backgrounds.

They calculated ranges of journal use from 10.7%–36.4% for the humanities, 25%–57% for

the ......

Rates of decline ranged from 2.71– 0.08 cm day-1 (Table 11) with a mean of 0.97 cm day-1.

It has been estimated that 300,000 people suffer form ......


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TRANSITION STATEMENTS

In longer pieces of work, writers are expected to indicate to the reader when they are

moving from one topic to another, or from on section of text to another. These are known as

transition statements and some examples of these are given below.

15.1 Introducing a new topic or aspect of a topic

As regards X, ….

With respect to X, ….

With regard to X, ….

Regarding X, ….

As far as X is concerned, ….

In terms of X, ….

15.2 Reintroducing a topic

As was pointed out in the introduction to this paper, ....

As was mentioned in the previous chapter, ....

As explained earlier, ....

As described on the previous page, ....

Returning (briefly) to the (subject/issue) of X, ….

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65

15.3 Moving from one section to the next

So far this paper/chapter has focused on X. The following section will discuss ....

Before proceeding to examine X, it will be necessary to .....

Before employing these theories to examine X, it is necessary to .....

Having defined what is meant by X, I will now move on to discuss .....

Having discussed how to construct X, the final section of this paper addresses ways of

This section has analysed the causes of X and has argued that ..... The next part of this paper will ....

This chapter has demonstrated that ..... It is now necessary to explain the course of .....

Turning now to the experimental evidence on .....

This (chapter) follows on from the previous (chapter), which (examined/laid out/outlined) X.

15.4 Moving from one section to the next whilst indicating addition, contrast or

opposition

In addition, it is important to ask ....

On the other hand, in spite of much new knowledge about the role of ....,

However, this system also has a number of serious drawbacks.

Despite this, little progress has been made in the ....

15.5 Previewing a following section

This raises questions about .... which will seek to answer in the next chapter.

The next chapter describes synthesis and evaluation of ....

The section that follows, it will be argued that ....

The following is a brief report on a ....

What follows is a description/outline/account of …

The problem of X is discussed in the following section.

15.6 Transition statements for results and discussion

Turning now to the experimental evidence on .....

Comparing the two results, it can be seen that .....


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A comparison of the two results reveals ....

As pointed out in the introduction to this paper, ....

From the previous discussion, it can be seen that .....

It is also worth noting that X is significantly more frequent in ....

The differences between X and Y are highlighted in Table 4.

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